This invention relates generally to hand tools and more specify to a socket wrench assembly having a drive handle with a side-attached, removable, interchangeable socket drive head that also functions as a palm ratchet.
Socket wrenches are known to the art. Generally, a socket wrench set has a number of interchangeable sockets that can be attached to a socket drive head which is integrally connected to a drive handle. The sockets are cylindrical in shape and have a square opening at one end for attachment to the socket drive head, and a round, internally faceted, work-piece engaging orifice at the other end. Typically, the work-piece is a nut or bolt. The sizes of the work-piece engaging orifices differ amount the various interchangeable sockets so that the user can change sockets depending upon the size of nut or bolt. For example, the socket can range from 1/4 inch to one inch or more.
As stated above, the socket drive head generally is integrally connected to the handle. The socket drive head has a rotatable square drive extending from one side. Within the head is a conventional ratcheting mechanism. The ratcheting mechanism is adjustable by an external button or lever so that the ratcheting mechanism allows the square drive to rotate in opposite directions, for tightening or loosening a workpiece. Since the socket drive head is integral to the handle, usually as forged metal, the handle cannot accommodate different sizes of socket drive heads having different sizes of square drives. It will be appreciated that larger or heavier square drives are desirable when using a larger socket. Therefore, it would be useful to have a handle with interchangeable drive heads having various sized square drives.
Another style of socket drive head is the palm ratchet. The palm ratchet is a round drive head sans the handle. The palm ratchet has a conventional square drive and internal ratcheting mechanism and can be held in the palm of the hand or fingers and rotated. Palm ratchets are useful in certain applications. However, the palm ratchet would be more versatile if it could be connected to a handle, if desired.
It would be advantageous, therefore, to have a handle and interchangeable socket drive heads wherein the drive head is comprised of interchangeable, variable sized palm ratchets so that one handle can be used with different sized palm ratchets functioning as the drive head. Thus, the user could have two sets of wrenches in one. One set would be a handled set with interchangeable drive heads and the other set would be comprised of the various sized palm ratchets.